Coconut Cranberry Cake {With Cake Mix}
Quick & easy Christmas cranberry cake recipe with cake mix- Loaded with cream cheese frosting, orange zest, candied nuts, fresh cranberries.
December is all about enjoying seasonal treats like cranberries and eggnog. I have been making this cranberry cake every Christmas for many years. It’s soft, moist, rich with hints of orange flavor, subtle fruity tartness from cranberries and a crunch from candied nuts. It’s an incredible cake to serve at parties and just as good as my Easy Gingerbread Recipe (Gingerbread Cake).
This is the best Cranberry Christmas cake!
The flavors and the appearance are perfect for the holiday season. There are fresh cranberries and candied nuts, which are typically only enjoyed this time of the year and the white coconut makes everything look like snow.
Cranberry orange cake
I added a little orange zest to give it a boost of citrus flavor. You can also add an additional 1 tsp orange extract to really enhance that orange flavor.
Cranberry upside down cake
Make this Pineapple Upside Down Cake but replace pineapples and cherries with 3/4 cup cranberries.
Cranberry coffee cake
Add a crumble topping and some ground cinnamon in the cake batter.
Don’t use this recipe to make cranberry orange bundt cake!
Bundt cakes are usually firm, which makes it easier to remove them from the pan. However, this cake batter makes a soft and moist cake, which will stick to the bundt pan and won’t release easily.
Cranberry pound cake
Make this Sour Cream Pound Cake and stir in 3/4 cup fresh cranberries in the batter.
Don’t use dried cranberries!
Fresh cranberries taste so much better and they are juicier. They also look better and more festive for the holiday season.
These Chocolate Cranberry Truffles are a great way to use up dried cranberries though.
Tips for easy cranberry cake with cake mix
- All ingredients must be at room temperature so that they blend together smoothly and evenly.
- Recipe can easily be doubled to make a 4 layer cake.
- Don’t use frozen cranberries because they release a lot of water during baking and can make the final results soggy.
- Make sure the cakes cool completely before icing them to prevent icing from melting.
- I filled this it with cream cheese frosting but you can also spread a layer of cranberry jam or even orange jam/marmalade.
- To take this cake over the top oven more, decorate with Sugared Cranberries (Candied Cranberries).
- It doesn’t matter what brand of cake mix you use. Just make sure you are using a yellow cake mix or a white cake mix because that created the best flavor.
Other doctored cake mix recipes
- Cake Mix Pumpkin Donuts
- Easy Pumpkin Cake With Cake Mix
- Easy Apple Cake With Cake Mix
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Cake Mix Chocolate M&M Cookies
- Easy Cake Mix Brownies
- Easy Cake Mix Gingerbread Cookies
- Cake Mix Champagne Cupcakes
Easy Cranberry Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 Eggs, Large
- 1 cup Milk, Whole or 2%
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1/3 cup Oil
- 1 tbsp Orange zest
- 1 box White or yellow cake mix, Any brand you like
- 1 tbsp Flour, For coating cranberries
- 1 cup Cranberries, Fresh
Frosting, filling and decoration
- 3 cups Cream cheese frosting
- 1/2 cup Candied nuts, For decoration
- 1/2 cup Fresh cranberries, For decoration
- 1 tbsp Edible gold and silver pearls, For decoration
- 2 cups Shredded coconut, For covering the whole cake
- 2 tbsp Mini chocolate chips, Optional, For decorating
Instructions
- In a deep bowl, add eggs, milk, water, oil, orange zest and mix until smooth.
- Add cake mix and mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, add flour and cranberries. Mix them with a spoon until the cranberries and fully coated.
- Dump these "floured cranberries" into your cake batter. Gently fold them into your cake mixture with a wooden spoon.
- Pour this batter into two floured/greased round cake pans (Dimensions: 8x2).
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Allow these cakes to cool completely.
- Place one cake on a cake stand. Spread frosting on top. Place the other cake on top of the frosting and press gently to stick everything together.
- Ice the entire cake in frosting and cover it in shredded coconut.
- Top it off with some fresh cranberries, candied nuts, mini chocolate chips (optional), gold and silver edible pearls.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Until next time, tata my lovelies!
This is stunning! I love all that coconut and I love the cranberry flavoring!
I need a slice of cake now! Looks so yummy!
Can I make it in a 9X13 pan and how long do I bake it?
Yes, you can. I would keep a close eye on it after 30 minutes.